1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chess games, and more particularly to devices for indicating moves to be made by the player.
2. Description of the Pior Art
It has previously been known to incorporate the element of chance into an otherwise conventionally played chess game. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,326 issued Feb. 26, 1974 to Bialek utilizes a special form of dice for such purpose. The element of chance in not pre-programmable by the operator.
Various chess games have been proposed in which variations on conventional chess may be played, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,731 issued May 6, 1975 to Droney. This type of chess game also does not provide for pre-programming an element of chance into the selection of plays to be made.
Applicant has not found any chess game which is pre-programmable to control play. The nearest approach to the concept of pre-programming to contol play is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,498 issued Jan. 9, 1953 to Liston. In this device, which relates to a game other than chess, the programming is preselected by the player and does not include the element of chance.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,116 issued Apr. 26, 1966 to Pawelka et al. shows a wheel of fortune which can be programmed to stop more often at certain positions by extending or retracting peripheral pins. This wheel of fortune has nothing to do with chess and is not capable of indicating which men are to be moved and in what direction on the conventional chessboard. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The novel mechanically programmable chess play indicator of the present invention is a simple mechanical device designed to play out complete games of chess with any conventional chess set. It allows any strength player to be highly competitive without excluding the use of the player's chess ability, which is challanged in a new dimension.
The present invention permits competitive chess games to be played by one person, thus eliminating the old disappointment of not finding a chess partner. A single person can play the game alone for hours with great enjoyment, finding no two games alike and many interesting sacrifices and suprise endings. A freely rotatable spinner on a suitable base during each play indicates the next chessman to be moved, the direction it is to be moved, and the extent of the move. The moves are made in accordance with the rules of conventional chess, with only minor modifications to adapt to indication by the spinner.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a chess play indicator capable of selecting both the chessman to be moved and the nature and extent of the move.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a chess play indicator of the character described which may be mechanically programmed to vary the relative probability of designated chess pieces being selected by the "selection" spin of the rotatable pointer, thus combining programmability with chance selection.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a programmable chess paly indicator of the character set forth in which the program is accomplished mechanically by simply inverting and/or arranging chess piece indicating elements of the device.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanically programmable chess play indicator of the character described which is simple and sturdy in construction, attractive in appearance, and easy to operate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of playing chess which utilizes mechanical programming steps to vary the relative probability of specified chess pieces being selected.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and further objects and features of advantage of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.